Suturing device with suturing capsule removal mechanism

Abstract

A suturing assembly includes a handle and a head located distal to the handle. The handle includes an actuator coupled to a distal half of the handle. The head defines a head perimeter and includes a needle port and a capsule cavity located within the head perimeter. The needle port stores a needle that is connected with the actuator by a rod and the capsule cavity is sized to retain a suture capsule attached to a length of suture. A release mechanism is attached to the rod and located on the distal half of the handle. The needle is movable within the head perimeter to engage with the suture capsule and place the suture capsule into the needle port, and the release mechanism is operable to move the rod a distance in a proximal direction to separate the suture capsule from the needle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tissue suturing device comprising:
 a handle including an actuator coupled to a distal half of the handle; 
 a head defining a head perimeter and including a needle port and a capsule cavity located within the head perimeter, the needle port storing a needle that is connected with the actuator by a rod and the capsule cavity sized to retain a suture capsule attached to a length of suture, the actuator provided with a slotted head and the rod including a pinion inserted into the slotted head; and 
 a release mechanism connected with the rod and located on the distal half of the handle, the release mechanism including a cable, a pulley, and a release lever, with the cable connected to a proximal end of the rod and extending over both the pulley and the pinion and connected to the release lever;
 wherein the needle is movable within the head perimeter to engage with the suture capsule and place the suture capsule into the needle port, and the release mechanism is operable to move the rod a distance in a proximal direction to separate the suture capsule from the needle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism is connected to the actuator and the actuator is configured to move within a plane that is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
       3. The tissue suturing device of  claim 2 , wherein the release mechanism is configured to move with the actuator within the plane that is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rod and the release mechanism is additionally configured to move substantially perpendicular with the plane that is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
       4. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a thumb brace located on a proximal half of the handle. 
     
     
       5. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism is operable to move the rod by a distance of between 0.5-2 mm in the proximal direction to separate the suture capsule from the needle. 
     
     
       6. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator and the release lever are configured for operation with only one hand. 
     
     
       7. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the head provides a needle exit port and the release lever is operable to move the rod in the proximal direction to shear the capsule against a wall of the needle exit port to separate the capsule from the needle. 
     
     
       8. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a top surface and a bottom surface, and the actuator is coupled with the rod and extends through the bottom surface of the handle, and the release lever is coupled with the rod and extends through the bottom surface of the handle proximal relative to the actuator. 
     
     
       9. The tissue suturing device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator and the release lever are both operable to move the needle.